Railway-switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

H. ELLIOT. RAILWAY SWITCH.

N0'.'517,379.' Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

A15 If, I 15114912 d01 f e5- iziy ZZZZOZ W fl/W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HENRY ELLIOT, or sr, LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,379, dated March 27, I894. Application.filed December 4,1893. Serial No. 492,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ELLIOT, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in railway switches of the class known as split switches, and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is'to providea substantial and durable support for the point rails, which will hold them firmly up to the heads of the stock rails, and which will connect the two point rails in a substantial manner, without the use of bars other than the switch bar .or rod.

Figure I is a top or plan view illustrative of my invention. Fig. II is an enlarged, top or plan view, showing one of the point rails in its position against the stock rail. Fig. III is a horizontal section, taken on line III- III, Fig. IV, and showing the point rail in its position away from the stock rail. Fig. IV is a side elevation, showing the slide plates in vertical section, on line IVIV, Fig-II. Fig. V is a transverse, vertical section,-taken on line V-V, Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a transverse section, showing a modification; and Fig. VII is a top or plan view of the connecting plate or block of Fig. VI.

Referring to the drawings,1 represents the stock rails, 2 the point rails, and 3 the ties of a railway track.

4 represents the ordinary slide plates.

5 represents the rod or bar connecting with the point rails, and extending to the switch stand, not shown. Each point rail, near its end, is provided with a device, to which my invention relates, for holding it up firmly and snugly against the stock rail, when the switch has been thrown or moved to either side.

I will describe the device of one of the point rails, the other, being in every respect the same. I

6 represents a block, one end of which fits against the web of the point rail, as shown at 7, Fig. V, and rests on the base of the point rail, as shown at 8, Fig. V, and preferably fits under the head of the point rail, as shown at 9, Fig. V. Against the other side of this block fits abar or rail 10, with a wedge 11 between them. The bar or rail 10 rests upon the slide plates 4, upon which the switch'rail bears and moves.

12 represents bolts connecting the bar 10 to the point rail, and which pass through the blocks 6, as shown in Fig. III. The ends of the block 6 are tapered off, as shown at 13, and the ends of the bar 10 are tapered oi as shown at 14, to avoid danger of accidents caused by the flange of the wheel striking either of these objects, an incident, however, which is not likely to occur. The block 6 is notched out near its middle, and at the side adjacent the bar 10, as shown at 15, Figs. III and V, for the purpose of receiving the ear 16 of the switch bar 5, and allowing this ear to engage the base of the bar 10. There is an ear 17 on the switch bar, which engages the base of the bar 10 on the other side of the vertical part of the bar from the ear'16. The car 16 fitting in the recess 15 of the block 6, prevents any possibility of the switch bar from moving laterally or lengthwise of the track. The wedge 11 hasa number of perforations 19, through which the bolts 12 pass, and the object of this wedge is to compensate for wear in the parts, by adjusting it, and thus the point rail may always .be kept in a condition which will insure its fitting snugly up against the stock rail. The bar 10 with the block 6 forms a firm and substantial support to the end of the point rail, and holds the latter securely against the head of the stock rail when the switch is thrown to bring the point rail into action. Instead of using a solid block 6, as shown in my preferred form, a plate or block 20 may be used, as shown in Figs. VI and VII; this plate having a vertical side 21 for fitting against the point rail, and a vertical side 22 fitting against the bar 10, with the interposed wedge 11. The block in this instance would have a notch or recess 15, as in the other form. Instead of using continuous bolts 12, as shown in Fig. III, I have, in this modification, shown a short bolt 28, connecting the block to the-bar: 10, and a short rivet or bolt 29 connecting the block to the point rail. The bar 5 is, of course, provided with two pairs of ears 16, 17,

one pair engaging one of the bars 10, and the other engaging the other bar 10.

24 represents brace pieces secured to the point rails back of their points of contact with the stock rails, and which, when the respective point rails are brought into action, or against the stock rails, bear against the webs of the stock rails. No invention is claimed by me in these brace blocks.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a railway switch, the combinationof a point rail, a bar adapted to rest upon the slide plates of the track, a block interposed between the point rail and said bar, and a switch bar having ears for engaging said bar; said block havinga notch for receiving one of the ears of the switch bar; substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway switch, the combination of a point rail, a bar adapted to rest on the slide plates, a block located between the point rail and said bar, bolts connecting the point rail and bar together, and passing through said block, and a wedge having perforations to receive said bolts;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a railway switch, the combination of a point rail, a bar adapted to rest on the slide plates of the track, a block located between the point rail and bar, bolts connecting the point rail and bar together, a wedge having perforations adapted to receive said bolts, and a switch bar having ears adapted to engage the base of said first mentioned bar; said block having a recess to receive one of the ears of the switch bar; substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY ELLIOT.

In presence of-- A. M. EBERSOLE, G. G. EDWARDS. 

